Destiny Arises
by DayDreamerFantasy
Summary: When Harry Potter dies, he leaves the wizarding world in a scramble to find a way to win against Voldemort. Yet, a new hope shows itself in Ron Weasley who disapeared the same night and awoke in a room full of people with powers different than his own. Ron is the one who now holds the power to win and is the key to something that his newfound friends want desperately.
1. Prologue: Final Piece of The Puzzle

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter doesn't belong to me and never will. **

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**Prologue**

_**Final Piece of the Puzzle**_

It was midnight as a young blonde-haired woman walked the trail of the forest, holding her wand to let the light lead her further into the darkness. Anya Lewis had a feeling luck would show tonight. Her green jewel pulsed brightly as it hung from her necklace, indicating the final piece in the puzzle was about to show itself. Finally. After years of waiting, they would finally find the one person who could make their strength rise. Anya reached up to touch her jewel. Hopefully, the wait would be worth it.

The branches of trees and bushes that were in her way moved silently to clear the path at her command. One tree seemed to bow down before her and she stopped to rub the trunk of it, smiling as it sent her a wave of power that traveled from her hand all through her body. The tingling feeling burned like fire through her and she let her fingers trail over the rough bark for another minute.

"Thank you," she whispered quietly. Anya gave the tree one last smile before setting off onto her path once again. The moon could just be seen through the occasional breaks in the tops of the trees and Anya sighed. She craved the sun to be out. The heat and the light filled her with power; it made her feel stronger and more dominant than at night.

Anya soon came to an opening in the forest, one was home to a two story bricked house. Lights were on in the living room and a figure stood by the window. Anya smiled to herself. She wasn't the only one who received a call from her jewel. She headed toward the porch, whispering the words to extinguish the light coming from her wand, and dashed up the stairs. Before she even had the time to raise her fist to knock, the door swung opened, revealing a middle-aged woman who had a huge smile on her face.

"Hello, Jane," greeted Anya.

Jane ushered the younger girl in. "Nice of you to make it, Anya. The others are in the living room already." Anya noticed Jane wringing her hands together and though she was smiling, a nervous glint was in her brown eyes. Jane said nothing more as her and Anya made their way to the others, and Anya was smart enough to know to keep her mouth shut until Jane was ready to give answers.

The other two people of the group were seated on the loveseat by the fireplace, which thankfully wasn't on. Jane sometimes had a tendency to spark up a fire even in the middle of summer. It was just early spring and Anya wasn't in the mood for a blazing fire. The other witch and wizard looked up as Jane and Anya entered the room. Krystal was sitting on Lukas' lap, their hands intertwined. Anya tried her best to keep the smile off her face. Love was beautiful and in Krystal and Lukas' case, it was the best thing in the world. Anya was glad the two of them found each other.

A hush engulfed the room and the four looked at each other for a moment. It was Lukas who broke the silence. "So why did we get the call?" he asked. Anya and Krystal looked at Jane expectedly.

"Another one of you as been found," Jane informed them. "But he's different; more powerful, more unpredictable. And he's the key to winning the war against Voldemort. He'll most likely be more powerful than all of you combined. And he will have the answer to everything you ever wanted to know."

The rest stared at her with a look of surprise. They weren't just getting another wizard with power like theirs, but one that held the knowledge of the things they wanted the most. Anya's hands shook with excitement. The final piece to the puzzle had finally been out into place. "Where do we find him?" she asked.

Jane looked out the window. "That's the hard part," she said slowly. "Right now he's one that doesn't want to be found."

* * *

**A/N: Not sure if I'm keeping this prologue but it's here for now and the first chapter should be up soon. It is a Ron/Hermione fic with most other cannon pairings and a couple non-cannon. The OCs are here since I am a more serious writer that decided to take a stab at fanfiction while my brain is trying to find inspiration for my original work. I hope you liked it! :) If you find anything wrong with my work, please don't be afraid to tell me. Constructive criticism is welcomed.**


	2. Chapter One: Stay By My Side

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Everything belongs to J.K Rowling**

**A/N: Here's the first chapter. The italicized words is dialogue that comes directly from the book. Reviews and criticism is welcomed :) Thanks to whoever is reading this and I hope you like it!**

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**Chapter One**

_**Stay By My Side**_

_"Harry Potter is dead." _

Ron Weasley's body went cold as the words hit him full on. _No, no, it couldn't be… _He turned his blue eyes—wide, scared, and unblinking—onto Hermione to see the same fear reflected in her brown ones. Their best friend was dead. He immediately pulled her into a hug, digging his face into her bushy hair, ignoring the slime and grit that covered both of them. Hermione gripped him back forcefully, whispering into his ear, "He's not dead… he's not dead."

Commotion filled the Great Hall around them; people rushed out, out to where Voldemort was coming with Harry. Ron sucked in a deep breath, blinking away the tears that burned at his eyes. He wouldn't cry, not now. He had to be strong for Hermione who, he noticed when he pulled away from her, already had tears streaming down her cheeks. Ron caressed her face with his thumb softly and wiped away the fallen tears. She looked up at him and her bottom lip trembled.

"We don't know for sure yet," he said in way he hoped comforted her. They were so close, so close to coming out alive. Harry couldn't abandon them just yet. Not when he already lost Fred; he didn't know how he would be able to move on from losing another brother.

Hermione looked past him, but Ron didn't move his gaze from her eyes. She spoke softly, "Promise me you won't leave me. Promise me you'll stay by my side." A couple more tears leaked out and Ron took the advantage to kiss her gently on the cheek.

"I promise."

He took her by the hand and guided her out of the Great Hall, seeking Ginny as he did so. The young red-haired girl stood with the rest of their family, her face a picture of total devastation. Ron looked away swiftly. He wasn't sure how much destruction he could take before breaking apart. Hermione's hand in his was one of the only things holding him upright. Knowing he still had something to fight for kept him sane. He wondered if Hermione felt the same.

His mom was already crying. His dad had his arms around his mother and Ginny, and as he caught Ron's eye, he motioned for the two teenagers to come over, but Ron continued to walk passed them and headed outside. Hermione gave a small gasp as their feet touched the castle grounds. Up ahead, people stood crying and holding onto one another as they took in the scene in front of them. Death Eaters surrounded them, their smiles cocky and victorious. It was only when he heard the heart-wrenching cry of Professor McGonagall that Ron saw what he had hoped he would never have to see.

Voldemort was walking toward them with Hagrid in tow. The half giant was sobbing and held a limp body in his arms. Ron felt Hermione squeeze his hand harder and he chanced a glance only to see more tears swimming in her eyes and her face deathly pale. Bracing himself he looked back toward the body in Hagrid's arms, thinking quietly to himself, _it's not him. It's someone else, anyone but him. _ But as Ron took a closer look, he saw the unmistakable black hair and glasses. Before he knew it a scream tore out of him.

_"No!"_

Hermione's and Ginny's cries soon followed, theirs filled with as much pain as Ron himself was feeling. The crowd around them yelled out, fueled by hate and disgust at the Death Eaters and Voldemort. Ron joined in with them, yet the screaming wasn't enough to calm the wave of terror rushing through him.

Voldemort's voice rose above all of them. _"Silence!"_ The crowd quieted at once as a bang and a bright light before the. Voldemort ordered Hagrid to set Harry down and Ron bit his lip, trying to get the ability to scream obscenities at the Dark Lord. Voldemort stepped up beside Harry and a triumphant smile crossed his face. _"You see? Harry Potter is dead! Do you understand now, deluded ones? He was nothing, ever, but a boy who relied on others to sacrifice themselves for him!" _

Voldemort's words made Ron grit his teeth in anger. Harry Potter was more than just a boy. Harry Potter was his best friend—brother—and sure as hell didn't rely on others sacrifice themselves for him. Harry Potter deserved to have won. _"He beat you!" _Ron yelled out, surprising even himself. But he wasn't about to let his enemies get the chance to think they won. Ron hid back a smile as a chorus of cries started up around him. The surviving witches and wizards weren't ones to give up easily. Voldemort and his Death Eaters all had a look of annoyance at the outburst.

_"He was killed while trying to sneak out of the castle grounds," _said Voldemort, _"killed while trying to save himself—" _

Neville stepped forward, and Hermione moaned a small, "No, Neville," too quiet for anyone but Ron to hear. Ron watched his friend get knocked to the ground in an attempt to charge at the dark wizard. Voldemort looked down at Neville like the bold Gryffindor was nothing but dirt on the ends off his robe.

_"And who is this?"_ he asked.

Ron tuned him out as a shadow in the darkness to the left of him caught his eye. In the midst of the ruckus before him, what looked like the figure of a girl leaned against the dusty wall of the castle. She—or it, for Ron couldn't be certain by the way the figure hid itself—seemed to be staring right at him. Ron stretched his neck out a little more to get a better look but the shape was gone, leaving him to wonder if the hysteria of all that had happened was finally getting to him.

Hermione tugged on his hand suddenly and Ron turned his attention back toward the scene in front and he gasped at what he saw. Neville was covered in flames, not moving, yet not screaming. Hermione had her wand in her free hand and Ron couldn't help the pride that flowed through him at the sight of her fierce face. She was ready to fight, ready to defend their fallen friends. Ron gripped his own wand tighter. He was more than ready.

Chaos erupted around them; spells colliding with each other, some hit the already broken rumble of the castle. The giants fumbled toward them all, causing the people to scramble, afraid of being squashed by their huge feet. Ron looked fearfully at Hermione, gave her a quick peck on the lips, and whispered, "I love you."

"I love you too," she whispered back.

Everyone was soon being ushered back inside of the castle, still fighting one another. Ron made sure to keep Hermione insight while flinging spell after spell to the approaching Death Eaters. Hermione's hand had been ripped out of his in the chaos, and Ron now felt the emptiness of it. When he looked over at her—she had just taken down an unknown Death Eater with the help of a Ravenclaw girl Ron knew to be a year older than them—she sent him a glance that clearly said they'll be okay. That they'll make it out alive.

"Just because I didn't get to taste your pretty little girl," a voice said from behind him, "doesn't mean I won't soon."

Ron spun around, wand aloft, and came face to face with Fenrir Greyback. The werewolf grinned mockingly at him. "She looks like a good one," he continued. "I _will_ get her."

Ron shook with fury. Just the thought of Greyback's hands touching Hermione's body, of Greyback being the fully disgusting werewolf he was, made Ron want to strangle him, curse him, _kill _him. He spit out, "Like hell you will," and threw all the spells that came to mind at Greyback. He was soon joined by Neville and together the two of them had the werewolf down.

"Thanks," said Ron, looking Neville up and down to make sure the poor wizard was okay.

"No problem," Neville replied. "I heard what he said about Hermione."

Ron just swallowed, not at all keen on reliving those words coming out of Greyback's mouth. He went back to fighting, hating the way more green lights than red shot in the air. How many of his friends and family had fallen because of that hellish spell? He tried looking for as many redheads as he could find but it was all blurring together. There were too many people running around, trying to stay alive and fight that it was impossible to seek out someone.

Hermione.

His heart leapt as he flung his head every which way to search for her but she was nowhere in sight. _Greyback's dead, he can't get to her. _He tried reminding himself of that has he pushed passed people. Dodging spells that were sent his way, he hurried through the castle yet there was still no sign of the bushy haired girl. Ron took a breath, trying to calm his racing heart but nothing worked. His hand tightened even harder on his wand, his knuckles probably turning white. He couldn't lose Hermione. She was the only thing he had…

A hand clamped over his mouth while an arm wrapped around his body, pulling him out of the jumble of people. He squirmed and fought back but to no avail. The person who had him was obviously strong and didn't let go until they were in a darkened part of the castle that was free of any fighting. He screamed, but the sound was muffled from behind the hand and in the quietness a girl's voice spoke in his ear.

"I'm going to let go, but please don't scream or run away."

The girl had some faith in him, faith that he would never have. Did she really expect him to come without a fight? Then again, who was _she? _As the girl let go of his body, he instantly had his wand out, spinning around and pressing it straight at her throat.

"Who are you?" he demanded. "What do you want?"

The girl eyed the wand. She had pretty grey eyes, Ron noticed; round and bright. Her hair was hidden by the hood of her cloak. "I'm Anya Lewis," she said while holding her hands, a gesture probably meant to show that she held no harm. Anya glanced up at Ron. "I didn't mean to scare you but it was the only way to get to you." She hungrily took in Ron's face. "We've been searching for you everywhere," she breathed.

Ron raised his eyebrows in confusion. "I don't understand…" he said. Then a surge of anger rolled through him. "But if this is some diversion you Death Eaters decided to play on my girlfriend and me, then you'll be sorry." He poked the wand further into her neck. Anya didn't even jerk away.

"I know you don't trust me," she tried to reason.

"Of course I don't trust you!" Ron yelled. "Why should I? When you have murderers breathing down your neck for months and everyone to the moon and back looking for you, you learn not to trust anyone," he snarled. "Especially people who sneak up on you and drag you to a dark room." He missed the pitying expression that crossed Anya's face. He was too busy trying to move his body. His felt glued to his spot on the floor, and every muscle seemed frozen in place.

"I'm sorry, Ron," Anya said. "Like I told you, we've been searching for you for months now and not that we finally have found you, we need you to come with us."

The tip of a wand prodded at the back of his head and he heard someone whisper a spell. His vision blurred and he felt himself falling to the ground, while the rest of the world went black around him.

* * *

Hermione had her wand trained on Bellatrix. Ginny and Luna were helping her, but the Death Eater still had the upper hand. Where was Ron? Hermione figured he was off fighting somewhere, but she hoped he was nearby; though when she spared a second to look she couldn't find him anywhere. She prayed that he was okay. He had to be. Just like she would be.

But the defenders of Hogwarts were losing. It was evident in the numbers of bodies lying on the floor, the way people were fleeing after realizing they would die if they didn't. Hermione tried to keep her eyes from drifting, scared of what familiar faces she would see staring unblinkingly up at her.

Bellatrix was soon defeated by Molly Weasley, who quickly ushered the three teenagers toward Arthur and Bill. "We have to go now," Molly hissed in theirs ears. Hermione noted the fear evident in the older witch's voice though Moly was a pro at keeping it from visibly showing.

"But Ron—" Hermione began.

"We'll find him," Bill said.

Hermione saw Molly glance at her husband. "Some have already made it there," Arthur informed her and Molly, though her jaw was set in a determined way Hermione knew was meant to keep her from crying out, had relaxed slightly. Hermione barely had time to register anything else before feeling herself being side-apparated. Shell Cottage was suddenly standing before her, and Molly and Arthur forced the three girls into the house where some other witches and wizards managed to take shelter in in.

Arthur kissed Molly on the cheek and announced that he was going back to round up others. Ginny walked numbly to where Percy was leaning against the wall. He put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. Hermione stayed rooted to her spot by the door. Ron would come walking through there any minute, she was sure of it. He always came back. He had promised her he wouldn't leave her side.

"Come on, Hermione," Molly said, stirring her into the kitchen. The more Hermione adjusted to her surroundings the more people she recognized. There weren't quite as many people as she thought there was at first, just Order people and some Hermione knew from Hogwarts. Molly led her over to a chair. The older witch's hands were shaking slightly and Hermione remembered about Fred and how much Molly must be hurting. "Drink some water," commanded Molly in gentle voice.

Hermione did want she was told and let Molly mothered her because she knew that as what was keeping Molly from breaking down. They waited for what seemed like hours but she knew it couldn't have been that long. Finally, Bill and Arthur both appeared together, entering the house looking tired and worn out. Molly was instantly at their side, and Hermione perked up as they came into the kitchen.

Bill sat down beside her, heaving out a tired sigh. Fleur was there in a flash, rubbing her hands through his red hair, the tears already swimming in her eyes.

"Where's Ron?" Hermione managed to ask.

Arthur sighed and glanced down at his feet. Hermione's heart plummeted. _Oh God, Oh God… _She almost couldn't breathe. Her hands shook in her lap.

"We couldn't find him," Arthur said quietly. "We looked everywhere but…" he trailed off and Hermione stood up quickly and dashed outside. The tears stung at her eyes but she managed to keep them at bay.

He had promised her, promised her that he wouldn't leave and now he was gone. They couldn't find him. She lost the ability to stay upright and fell to her knees. She looked up to the sky and whispered over and over again, "Please be okay, please come back." Harry, Fred, Remus, Tonks, and so many others were gone and never coming back. She prayed to God that Ron wouldn't be among them. He had to be alive, alive and okay.

Hermione would go to hell and back to make sure he was okay.


	3. Chapter Two: Separated

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. J.K Rowling does. **

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**Chapter Two**

_**Separated**_

Soreness. That was the first thing Ron noticed when he woke up. His whole body screamed out in protest as he tried to sit up, and he instantly gave up and landed back on the bed. He closed his eyes and laid there for a minute, trying to find the strength to move his body again without feeling like utter death. If he didn't know any better, he would think he had been run over by a car while he was asleep. Yet, that was impossible. But how come pain shot through him every time he moved a single muscle? Opening his eyes, Ron groaned as he slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position on his bed.

This wasn't his room.

Nor was it the room in Shell Cottage.

It especially wasn't the one in the tent.

Ron blinked twice to make sure he wasn't seeing things. Could the pain make him hallucinate? But surely not; it wasn't _that _bad. The red-haired wizard took in the little square room, whose bare walls were a plain brown color with only one window that had curtains pulled over it to block out the sun streaming through. A dresser lined the wall to the right of him and a nightstand stood beside the bed. Where the hell was he and how did he get here?

"Shit!" he gasped out in the quiet of the room. Memories of the battle hit him out of nowhere, taking over his mind. He remembered Harry lying limp in Hagrid's arms, Fred dying, Remus and Tonks' bodies, Hermione making him promise to stay with her. Then a girl dragging him away, telling him nonsense. He didn't know what happened after that. There was just blackness, and no matter how hard he tried to recall the lost memories, none came. He breathed in and out deeply, livid at both himself and the girl who caught him.

"Awake already?"

Ron's head snapped up to where the voice came from. His hands scrambled around to find his wand as he saw the same girl from before standing in the doorway. But they came back empty. Where did they put his wand? Ron only saw red and he jumped from the bed like lightning, ignoring the pain.

"Where's my wand?" he snarled. "And my family and Hermione? I swear, if you did anything to hurt them, I'll kill you." He was in her face, towering over her. The girl merely stared back, unflinchingly, with a gaze much like his mom had when trying to get the kids to do what they were told. But no matter how unnerving that stare could get, Ron held his ground.

"Tell me where they are!"

The girl—Anya as Ron recalled—didn't even blink. "Your wand is currently somewhere safe. I'm sorry but we figured it was better if you didn't have it when you woke up, just in case you acted how you're acting now." She smiled faintly as if mocking him. Ron scowled but before he even had the time to open his mouth, she continued. "And as for your family and… Hermione? We don't know. But we can do our best to try to see if it's possible to check if they're alright."

"You think because you have a pretty face and look innocent, I'll just believe you and go with whatever lies you tell me?" said Ron. Anger crawled at every word, and his heart raced with the fury that burned within him. Stupid Death Eaters. Damn them all to Hell. Ron felt his hands shaking at his sides and he curled them into fists. "My best friend and brother and so many other people are dead at the hands of your people. I'm not stupid!"

Out of nowhere Ron was on his back on the floor, with Anya on top of him pinning down his legs and arms. Blonde hair fall around her face and her grey eyes were narrowed. "And I'm not some pretty face or just an innocent girl. We're not the bad guys and we're not on You-Know-Who's side. If you would just trust us, you will see that."

"You know, acting like this doesn't help your case," Ron wheezed out. He tried pushing her off but he was too sore and she was too strong.

A laugh came from above them. Great. Someone was watching him being pinned down by a girl. "He's right, Anya," a male voice said. "Beating someone up isn't a way to gain allies."

Anya huffed, but got off Ron. "Sorry," she muttered and the man who had spoken held out a hand for Ron. Ron looked at it hesitantly but took it anyway since the pain was too much for him to be able to get up by himself.

"I'm Lukas," the man supplied as he pulled Ron up. Lukas only looked about nineteen or twenty but there was an air about him that made him seemed older. His shaggy brown hair was wet as if he just took a shower, yet a bit of dirt was smeared across his cheek.

Ron glared at the two, noticing the way they seemed to be wandless as if they only relied on the hand to hand combat muggles used. It was like they didn't see Ron as a powerful threat. Ron swallowed back at snort at that. They were standing a little too close on the edge. Pushed Ron far enough and they would see just how much of a force he was. Ron was already just a centimeter away from exploding. "Give me my wand," he said vehemently. "If you're going to treat me to luxuries and go through so much trouble to lie to me, I deserve to have my wand! Or better yet just stick me in a cell! It's not like you weren't going to anyway."

"Does he not have a brain?" Lukas muttered. It was probably only meant for Anya to hear but Ron's senses were on overdrive and as the words registered in Ron's mind, the prisoner snapped.

It was like a bomb, Ron later remembered. One minute he was just standing there, holding onto the anger inside of him and the next he was yelling, his face most likely the same color red as his hair. _"Do I have a brain?" _Ron grounded out. "You don't know what the hell I've been through! Or better yet maybe you do since you could be right up in the higher part You-Know-Who's circle of Death Eaters! I'm tired of fighting, god damn it! I'm tired of seeing people I care about being killed! But since that won't quit until _he's _dead, then you're making the wrong mistake by treating me like I won't hurt you. Because I'll hunt each one of you down and kill you all until this war is over!"

By the end of his speech, he was breathing hard. His heart pounded in his chest and he was suddenly aware of not just two but four sets of eyes on him, one of which belonged to an older woman with graying hair that stood in the doorway. She stared at him with a knowing smile. Yet the passion of still burned in him and he was ready to fling on another round of yelling, with insults of rotten Death Eaters, when a whistle broke the silence. Lukas was raising an eyebrow at him, looking impressed.

"He was Harry Potter's best friend, right?" a girl with long black hair that was standing beside Lukas asked.

_Of course I am, _Ron thought bitterly. _That's probably why you took me. _But he held his tongue instead of spitting the words out like he would have a second ago. The stare the older woman was giving him kept him silent. It was like she knew something about him that even he didn't know.

Anya smiled. "Yes," she answered.

Lukas chuckled and shook his head as if he couldn't believe it. "This one sure as a temper. He seems protective as hell, too. I guess that's a good trait to have when someone like Harry Potter was your friend. Wonder what his powers will be, huh?"

Ron asked, "What powers?"

But he was ignored. The oldest of the four that stood before him said, "We definitely have a good one here. After some explaining, we'll let him rest for a while before we start on training. I have a feeling it won't be long before he's ready."

"Yes, _explain _to me," Ron said. "I'm dying to know what you have to say."

The sarcasm in his voice didn't go unnoticed. Anya, Lukas, and the black haired girl sent him a glare but the woman only looked at him. "Take a seat on the bed, Ronald," she told him, walking up to him. She forced him over to the bed while Ron protested and squirmed. Pushing him down, she said, "The more you move around, the more you'll hurt. Fighting in a battle like you did causes you to be quite sore after. Not only that, but you must have been hit from some nasty spells as well. I'm Jane, by the way."

Jane. Ron fished his brain. The name sounded familiar to him and as he realized why he felt a pang in his stomach. Jane. Jean. Hermione Jean Granger. Hermione's middle name sounded far too much like Jane to be a comfort. He swallowed passed a lump in his throat. Was Hermione alright? God, she had to be. Ron didn't know how he would be able to move on if she wasn't. Harry and Fred was one thing, but if you added Hermione in… Ron shook his head, trying his hardest to get rid of nightmarish thoughts.

_Please be okay, Hermione. I am. Stay alive for me. I'll find you, I promise._

He hoped that wherever Hermione was she could hear him. He knew it was an impossible wish, but it was the only hope he could hold onto. Hermione was the brightest witch of her age. If Ron had stayed alive thus far, she was sure to be okay. Ron eyed the four people in front of him, wondering if he should attack now or wait and hear their explanations. A thought popped into his head.

"I'll listen," he said, "but only if you allow me to have my wand."

He thought they would protest, but Jane glanced at the group and nodded. "Get him his wand."

* * *

The house was oddly quiet. So many people inhabited the small home of Shell Cottage, yet there was little talk except for the murmurs of Order members. Hermione knew they were trying to find ways to end the war, but action was out of the question at the moment. Too many people were hurt; they needed time to rest before diving into another fight. And what could they possibly do now when their numbers had dwindled so much?

Hermione sat outside in the grass, looking over the hillside at the beach as the water came and went. The wind blew softly, a nice cool touch to her skin. She didn't want to sit around and come up with a plan. Ron could be out there somewhere and needing their help. They hadn't found his body at Hogwarts, yet Kingsley said that among the rumble and destruction they could have been wrong and his body was buried underneath. That didn't help Hermione's nerves. Ron had to be alive. They didn't make it all this just to be separated and torn apart. She would see those blue eyes again, eyes full of love and protectiveness; eyes full of _life. _

She played with the hem of her shirt. It had been two days since the battle. Two days since her best friend died and the love of her life went missing. Everyone tried to comfort her, everyone tried to tell her it would be okay. Even Molly, bless her heart, tried to put on a brave face for the young witch but Hermione soon felt suffocated by all the concern and worry. She knew that when Molly was alone she would sob. Hermione never heard or saw but it was obvious to her when she looked into the older witch's eyes.

She only wanted to find Ron. The Order was preparing to look for the missing people they knew were alive as well as another battle. But there were no clues to where Ron was, no evidence that he was alive. The Weasleys were trying to think logically though Hermione knew that they were planning to spend nights searching for their youngest boy. Last night was the first night they tried, and Hermione waited up with Ginny who was banned from going since her family agreed she was too young.

They all came back with tired and sad faces, shaking their heads at the two teenagers. _Go to bed, _they had said. _We'll try another night. _

Hermione didn't want to try another night. She needed her knight beside her, holding her hand and telling her it would all be okay and that they would have a happy ending. She looked at her empty hand that sat in her lap, wanting to feel the hand holding onto hers but there was nothing. She took out the Deluminator out of her pocket and rolled her over in her hands. Arthur found it by chance while looking for Ron. It was the only thing she had of him.

"Mom says you ought to eat," she heard from behind her.

She almost expected to hear the voice's counterpart chime in with some comical saying, yet none came. George had stayed hauled up in an empty room for the past two days and only came down for the search. She remembered the look on his face. It was the same look that must be on her face. He was going to make sure his youngest brother was okay and if he wasn't he would take down every Death Eater involved in the hurting of Ron. When the Weasley family came home last night, George rushed back to his room but not before Hermione saw the tears cascading down his face.

"I don't feel like eating," she said quietly.

"I don't either," George admitted. He sat down next to her, pulling his legs up to his chest. Hermione didn't bother to look at him. "But Mom…well you know how she is." Hermione didn't say anything, just kept staring straight ahead. George sighed. "I'm not going to stop until I find him. I've already lost F-Fred, I can't lose Ron too." His stumbled over Fred's name and Hermione glanced over to see his brown eyes swimming with tears. She leaned her head on his shoulder.

"We need to find him," she whispered. "_I_ need to find him, George. He promised he would never leave me again!" She buried her head into George's chest and the red-head put an arm around the sobbing witch. Too many things had gone wrong since the Battle of Hogwarts; too many deaths, too many tears. Hermione gripped the Deluminator tighter, her only piece of Ron she had left.

* * *

"So explain to me why I'm here." Ron was sitting on the end of his bed, while the other four people stood opposite of him. He held his wand in his hand tightly and was ready to fling a spell if anything seemed suspicious. But so far no opportunity came. Ron wasn't even sure why he was waiting for one, but for once the logical part of his brain was pushing him to sit down and listen.

_I've been spending way too much time with Hermione, _he thought. The remembrance of his friend—or girlfriend?—lowered his spirits, making him feel even more alone than he already was. If only he could just see her one more time… _I will_, he told himself. He only needed to stay alive long enough to find her and his family.

Jane cleared her throat to get his attention and started up her speech once he was looking at her. "You might not believe us at first," she began and Ron suppressed a snort, "but we brought you here because you have powers above the rest of the wizarding world. That power needs to be worked with and controlled so you and these three here—" she gestured around her—"can save the world from darkness."

Ron raised an eyebrow. "Sounds a whole bunch like the crap Dumbledore said to Harry. I'm sorry but I think you've got the wrong guy, Miss." He shook his head at her. As much as he used to be jealous of Harry, he wasn't the Boy-Who-Lived and never would be. And he certainly didn't have 'powers above the rest' or whatever the woman had rattled off.

"The jewel doesn't lie," said Anya.

Ron glanced at her and saw the witch fingering her necklace, rubbing her thumb across the green jewel. He had noticed it before when she had tackled him but it seemed like some any normal necklace. Now from the way Anya was looking at it, he had the impression that there was something he was missing. But from the way the grouped was acting there were a lot of things he was missing. "What do you mean?" he asked. "What's the jewel got to do with anything?"

The black haired girl spoke up. "The jewel is what helps you fuel your magic. You already have it in you, but the jewel will make it more powerful and more easily accessed. It also links you to the other people. We all have one." She showed him the ring on her finger. It was a bright blue. As Ron leaned closer he thought it looked a bit like swirling water.

"I still don't understand how you think I'm this person you were looking for," he said, even more confused now than before.

"The jewels give off this sort of glowing light when another one of us is revealed," Anya explained. "And a few months ago, they all lit up. The first time they had in years. Jane was able to tell us who you were from her connection with the spirits and from there the search began."

"Her connection with the spirits?" Ron asked dumbfounded. "What the bloody hell does _that _mean?"

Jane sat down next to him and he scooted further away. "We all have powers," she said. "I am able to converse with the spirits of my ancestors who were Seers but only when they call to me. Lukas has power over ice, Krystal's is water, and Anya's is the earth. Along with that, they have smaller magic that's stronger than the magic of normal witches and wizards."

"But I don't have any special powers," Ron told her.

"Yes you do. You just have to find it. The spirits and jewels are never wrong, Ron."

Anya smiled. "Will you believe us if we do a demonstration?" Before he answered, she closed her eyes and held out her hand, palm upward. A green vine appeared in her hand, growing and sliding down until it hit the floor while multicolored flowers bloomed from it, covering up the vine. Ron had to admit it was beautiful.

Water floated in front of Ron's face as if it was there all along, and he looked over the see Krystal smiling. She motioned to Lukas and he sent her a grin. Jane nudged Ron's shoulder. "Watch," she whispered. His eyes flicked back to the water and ice slowly started taking it over, turning the blob of floating liquid into the shape of a frozen heart. He reached out a hand to grab it and when he had a hold of it, he ran a finger over the cold surface.

"You really did this?" he asked.

Jane nodded. "They really did. And if you decide to believe us, you can do these kinds of things too as well as save your family."

"Just listen to your heart," Anya supplied.

Ron glanced at all four of them, seeing their encouraging faces. He tried doing what Anya advised. What was his heart saying? He closed his eyes, tightening the hold on his wand for a second. Then letting out a sigh, he opened them and said, "Just tell me how to use my power."

Whether they were really on his side or not, he would do anything to make sure his family and Hermione were okay. And he couldn't do that on his own. Escaping right now wasn't even a good idea, he concluded. His body ached from the battle and it would slow him down. Jane was right. Fighting took a lot out of you. He looked up at the ceiling and imagined Harry and Fred looking down at him.

_I hope I'm doing the right thing, Harry._

* * *

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who's reading this. Just to warn you updates won't always be quick. There will be times when I can get chapters written pretty fast and others that will take some time. **


	4. Chapter Three: Struggle For Power

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine. Everything belongs to J.K Rowling.**

* * *

**Chapter Three**

_**Struggle for Power**_

He had no idea what he was doing.

Anya could tell by the way the ginger-haired boy stood awkwardly in the middle of the yard, with a look plastered on his face that clearly said they were all crazy. It would take Ron Weasley a lot of practice, Anya concluded, no matter what Jane thought. The wizard stared at the people who surrounded him and though Anya tried giving him a smile of encouragement, he didn't seem to want it. She watched as Jane stood in front of him, helping him to dig into his powers that they all knew he had. All expect him, of course.

It wasn't working.

"Admit it," Ron said at one point, throwing up his hands in annoyance. "You got the wrong person."

Anya felt the same annoyance flow through her, yet it was for a different reason. He couldn't just give up, but she saw it in his eyes as clear as day. They all needed Ron, all needed him to complete the puzzle and give them the information they wanted. Anya might have been a cool and collected girl on the outside but she would make sure that Krystal and Lukas managed to get some happiness after all this is over. And if Ron gave up and ended that dream, the one they all have had for years, Anya wasn't afraid to use her powers against him.

"Just concentrate," said Jane in a soothing tone. "Focus on the jewel in your hand and concentrate on wielding your power from it. Once you have a hold on the power, the color will change to whatever best represents it."

Right now it sat in Ron's palm, void of any color. Anya remembered Ron's readiness to defend his friends and the way his blue eyes burned with determination to make sure they were all right. Fire. She had a feeling the absent color would come alive with a bright red. He was too hotheaded for the clear blue of water or the misty silver of ice. He was too loud and rude for the caring green of earth. But his raging personality fit the fiery red perfectly. But it could also be a number of things that Anya and the others have only heard of; the weather, electronic bolts, manipulation over animals or people… the list could go on and on.

She heard Lukas sigh beside her and looked up into his bored gaze. His arm was around Krystal, who was watching Ron curiously. No doubt wondering what his power would be as well. They all were. It had been so long since they had seen this action take place. The last one to join had been Krystal herself, so this would be her first time experiencing watching it unfold. So far, none of what had happened had been up to par. All three of them had better luck than Ron.

But they knew what they were doing, had known about Jane before meeting her from family. Ron, Anya had to admit, was only doing what was expected of a man who was blindingly following orders from people he must have thought were crazy.

The wind ruffled the leaves of the trees of the surrounding woods, and Ron looked up as a group of birds flew by. Jane snapped her fingers at him. "Pay attention!" she scolded and Lukas chuckled. Anya felt the corners of her mouth twitch. Jane would treat Ron as if he had been here as long as the other three had. She would make sure he felt at home. In an annoying motherly, teacher kind of way but it would feel like home nonetheless.

"How long until he snaps and runs off, do you think?" Lukas muttered to Anya.

"I think he'll at least give it some time," she replied back in a whisper.

"I hope so," said Lukas. "If Jane's right and he's the only one with that information…" he trailed off and Anya saw him twirl his wand absentmindedly in his hand. His jewel—a silvery white color—was attached to it at the base of the handle.

Krystal leaned in closer to Lukas, and even though her eyes never strayed from Ron, she must have been listening to their conversation. Her face had drawn downward in a slight frown but still held a bit of interest to the scene in front of her. She was always one to hold attention to two different things at once.

Anya turned back to Ron, who was muttering something under his breath too low for the rest of them to hear. His wand was now in his right hand while the jewel stayed in his left. Jane was watching him carefully and when still nothing happened, motioned for Anya to come forward. Anya headed over to them, her eyes trained on the colorless jewel. She had a feeling she knew why Jane wanted her, and she wasn't sure she liked where this was going. But on the other hand, if she was correct in her assumptions, then it could possibly move this along much faster.

"I think Ron needs a little more motivation, don't you think?" said Jane once the younger witch stood beside her.

A touch of guilt rose in her as she nodded her head, letting Jane know that she would use her other power; a power she didn't understand and only used when mandatory, a power that she just barely had a grasp of control over. Her fingers shook slightly as she lifted them up to Ron's head. If she messed this up, who knew what would happen to Ron?

"What are you doing?" Ron asked nervously, leaning away from Anya's touch.

"Something that might help you," she explained softly. "Just keep still and breathe. I'm sorry if I hurt you." She touched Ron's temple and closed her eyes. In a matter of seconds, his face scrunched up in pain.

* * *

"You can do it, Ron." He heard the words but couldn't find the source. Everything was black, like he had gone blind. His eyes were opened yet he could see nothing. Only the sounds of her voice broke though the barrier. Hermione's voice was soothing and encouraging, and Ron wanted desperately to see her face and loving smile. "Just focus, Ron."

"Do this for us, Ron."

"Concentrate and you will be able to."

Harry and Fred's voice was added to the mix and it made his heart ache for the sight. If they were here, why couldn't he see them? Did Anya kill him and he was now with his best friend and brother? The only thing he remembered before the darkness was the sudden shot of pain that erupted in his head, right as Anya touched him. But then Hermione was here, and she couldn't be dead. She couldn't be. It was impossible.

"Hermione?" he whispered.

"I'm right here, Ron," came her voice, right be his ear. "Focus on your power inside of your heart and we can be together again."

"I've tried," he said hopelessly. "It doesn't work."

Silence. Ron waited to hear her response but nothing came. Not until a loud scream pierced his ears and everything came back into view. He was at Hogwarts, standing amongst the rubble and broken down castle. And in front of him was Voldemort, with Hermione in his grasp. Hermione struggled against the hold on her, but each time she moved, Voldemort gripped tighter and dug his wand deeper into the side of her head. The grin on his face was malicious.

"I don't think we should let this Mudblood live for much longer, now should we?"

The Death Eaters that surrounded them cheered and hollered their agreement. Ron locked eyes with Hermione as fury built up in him.

"No!" yelled Ron, charging at Voldemort.

A burning sensation twisted its way through his body, like fire had come to life within him. It was powerful and strong. Ron felt like he could do anything. Suddenly the scene around him disappeared and was replaced with the scene of before: Back at the house with Anya, Jane, and the rest. They looked at him with wide eyes. Anya took a step back and nodded approvingly.

"What?" he asked, but with a glance down his question was answered.

In his hand, the once plain jewel now came alive with a bright red. The colors swirled around restlessly, and Ron could see a bit of orange mixed in: The colors of fire. It really did look like inside was a living, breathing fire that wanted to get out. Ron opened and closed his mouth like a fish, but no words were formed. It had really happened.

Anya smiled. "Exactly what I had thought. Now we get to work on your fire powers," she said.

Jane nodded in agreement and said, "Now, Ron—"

"Wait!" he cut her off. "What the bloody hell was _that?" _He sent a glare at Anya before continuing on. "You said you had powers over the earth. So what did you just do to me?"

He was glad when he saw Anya duck her head in shame. "It's something I don't like using," she explained. "At least not on friends. It can be used as a terrible weapon if I allowed full force on it. I needed to dig deep into your emotions to see if that would help you." Ron could tell from the guarded look in her eyes that there was something she was leaving out. But Jane took over speaking before he could push her.

"So I want you to picture a small flame to start out with and go from there, okay? If this all works out then soon you'll be able to handle your fire just like the others can handle their powers."

Ron reluctantly turned his attention back to Jane and her instructions. The glowing jewel in his hands was proof that at least one thing had worked. He would have believed that Jane had taken advantage of him and did something to the jewel to make it act like this, but there was this pull, this _connection, _between him and the color inside that stopped him from thinking that. Maybe he could really do this and kill You-Know-Who. Maybe he could actually make Harry proud.

He looked into Jane's eyes. "Just a small fire?" he asked.

"Just a small fire," she assured him.

Ron took a deep breath and closed his eyes, focusing on the one thing that he was doing this for. Hermione's face filled his mind, all smiles and unharmed. Love was in her brown eyes. Did he even get the chance to tell her that he loved her? He swallowed passed the lump in his throat and forced himself to concentrate. If he did this right, it would be one step closer to finding her and the rest of his family. _Breathe in and out, _he told himself. _Just do that and focus. And then worry about them. _

A warm, tingling feeling started in his stomach and crawled upwards and then down his arms, until it hit his outstretched hand. But the feeling deflated a second later and nothing else happened. Opening his eyes, he frowned and shook his head.

"Nothing," he told the group.

Lukas stepped forward in front of Ron. Looking straight into the younger wizard's eyes, he said, "Don't worry too much. You want to give your attention to the power, yes, but you don't want to strain too hard or it'll fizzle out, like it did just now. Understand?"

Ron nodded. "I think."

Lukas ruffled his hair despite the scowl Ron supplied at the touch. The gesture reminded him too much of his older brothers and it only made him miss home more than he already did. Ron didn't even know that was possible. How could the feeling of missing home become even stronger when it already had pierced itself into very bit of his body and heart?

As Lukas took a step back to allow Ron more room, Ron outstretched his hand again and closed his eyes one more time. He tried again and again to get that spark of fire to start in his fingers but nothing ever came. Just like before when he was trying with the jewel, he could tell the others were getting tired. How long had they been out here? Krystal and Lukas found a spot on the ground and had sat down, leaning against each other. Anya and Jane were still standing, but Ron could tell they were inching to get out of the sun. Ron's stomach was starting to growl and he found himself thinking about food more and more.

But he forced himself to find that fire. He could do this. He would do this. He dug deep into his body and managed to capture that feeling once again in his stomach. For the first time since he started this, the jewel seemed to be pulsing with life against his skin. Thinking about Hermione and his family, he allowed the warming sensation to travel through his body and this time he didn't put as much focus on it as before. He heard Anya clapped and yell out with joy, and as he opened his eyes, he couldn't help the smile that crossed his face.

A fire, small and barely the size of his finger but still a fire, was burning in his hand. Ron stared at it in amazement. "I did it," he whispered. "I really did it."

Anya raced toward him and gave him a tight hug. "It's small," she said, pulling back, "but it's a start."

_A start to finding my family, _Ron agreed. And that was what he was going to talk to them about next. He did what they wanted him to do. Now it was time for him to get what he wanted.

* * *

Hermione sat on the edge of her bed with Ginny standing by the window. They both were quiet, only speaking to the other when they felt the absolute need to. The other residents of Shell Cottage were downstairs, discussing a possible new place to take shelter. The Order had recently talked about the dangers of staying here for too long, even under the Fidelius Charm. Hermione knew what they meant, but what if they left and Ron came looking for them only to find an abandoned house? It didn't seem right to leave, not when Ron was still out there.

Ginny turned to face Hermione. "Do…Do you think he's still alive?"

Hermione glared at her, refusing to let the alternate of what Ginny was saying to cross her mind. "You're giving up on your brother just like that?" she asked sharply. She didn't mean to sound so horrible but it came out that way nonetheless. She took pleasure in the feeling of seeing tears well up in Ginny's eyes, but the younger witch quickly blinked them away.

"I don't mean that," she said. "I just—He's my brother and we all need him to come back, but…" Trailing off, she went to sit next to Hermione. "Dad won't tell me anything about what's going on, and neither will anyone else. I can't stand not knowing! With Ron and the things going on with You-Know-who!"

"I can't stand it either, Ginny," mumbled Hermione. She didn't say anything else, just had let Ginny fume about the unfairness of things. It was Ginny's way of handling things as of right now, she knew. Ginny wasn't one to cry in front of people. Hermione knew that once Ginny was alone, the tears would come.

And she had a feeling that it wouldn't just be a usual summer rain, but a downpour.

The door creaked open, revealing Charlie's tired face. The two witches appraised him with confusion and Ginny asked harshly, "Oh, are you here to finally tell us about your secret meetings?"

Charlie sent her a look that clearly stated that he was sorry, but otherwise ignored her. "Hermione," he said, "we need you downstairs. We need to know what exactly went on doing your mission from Dumbledore."

Hermione looked at Ginny, who had her arms crossed over her chest and a stubborn tilt to her chin. "Ginny should be allowed to come down, too," she told Charlie. "I know she's not of age yet, but does that really matter? I think she's done enough this year to prove herself. And she has a right to know, just like all of us."

She was worried that Charlie would say no, but after a few minutes, he sighed and glanced at his sister. "Alright, but if Mom tells you to come back up here, it'll be best to listen to her."

Ginny allowed a smile and the three of them headed down the stairs. Hermione and Ginny followed Charlie into the kitchen where the rest of the Order members were currently holding their meeting. Molly's eyes narrowed when she saw Ginny.

"Charlie, I said only Hermione," she told her son.

"I know," he said, "but Ginny can at least _know, _right? She doesn't have to be in the thick of things. And besides, Hermione will probably just tell her everything we say later on."

Molly apparently couldn't find a way around that one because she only pursed her lips and allowed Arthur to put an arm around her. Kingsley cleared his throat to get their attention and they all turned to face him. He looked at Hermione.

"So we heard that you had a mission form Dumbledore. Would you care to tell us about it?"

Hermione glanced around and saw everyone's curious faces. George was there, leaning against the counter. She met his eyes and found her voice to speak. "During our sixth year at Hogwarts, Dumbledore had taught Harry about Horcruxes, which is an object that a person can store a part of their soul in to, and after finding out that You-Know-Who had made some, we—Harry, Ron, and I—set out to destroy them." She went on to tell them about their journey and how they had managed to destroy all but one: the snake.

"So let's kill it," George said angrily.

"It's not that simple," said Hermione. "You-Know-Who knows we are after the Horcruxes and with the snake being the last one, he's going to protect it with all he has. Jumping straight in without a plan will be like suicide."

"So then how do you reckon we do this?" Charlie asked.

Hermione looked around the room at the current Order members. The count had lowered, thanks to the battle, but they had gain new ones, most being what remained of the DA. "I don't know," she admitted. "We'll all have to work together and figure out a plan. We _will _end this. For Harry."

"For Harry," chorused the rest, their voices strong and proud.

She felt tears come to her eyes, but she forced them away. It shouldn't be her here encouraging them all. She shouldn't be the one explaining how about all of this, about how to end this war; at least not her alone. Ron's face swarmed in her mind and she bit her lip. She wouldn't give up looking for him. They would be together again. That thought was the only thing from having her breaking down what then and there.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, so I'm sorry for the late update. I really am. I started working more on my original stories and kind of stepped away from this one for a bit, but I got myself to finish this chapter for all of you. I don't know when the next one will be up but it shouldn't take as long as this one. I'm not so sure how well I did on this one, so I'm really sorry if it sucks or at least not up to par. Thank you to the people who have read and reviewed. It means a lot. :) **


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